Merlin
Regular Member
So last night I went over to RedRock to watch the fireworks. I took my Radio so I could listed to the Police Dispatch in the area, since I figured it would be interesting given the holiday and all.
So I get over to the area near RedRock, and there are cops everywhere, directing traffic (poorly, imo, what a flustercluck). At one point, a young officer directed me to make a U-turn when I was trying to turn left. I advised him that "I can't" (22ft truck, ~45ft turning radius). He immediately took a 'tude with me, and said "just do it". I said "are you sure?" He replied "yes!". Unfortunately, what he didn't realize was that even if I could make a U-turn, he was standing in the spot I would need to drive to do it.
Anyway, I surged forward towards where he was standing, and he promptly moved. About that same time, a supervisor jogged over to him and advised him that he needed to be further out into the intersection, so people would have the room to make the U-turn. heh. Funny how the fall back is always intimidation. Anyway, I completed my 19-point U-turn as directed, and went about my way.
But that's not what this post is about. While I was at the fireworks, I heard a call go out several times for a woman who was calling in because there was a man at her door with a 413 (gun), pounding on the door. The woman had called in 30 minutes earlier, and had called back several times since to find out why the cops weren't there. I never heard a resolution to it, but here's the important part: The location of the callout was within 2 miles or so of RedRock. Awful. Lots of cops around, plenty of time to direct traffic, no time to go rescue someone with a pretty clearly bad situation. 30+ minutes. Just...wow.
This is why we have guns. Because the Police are not here to protect you, they are here to arrest the person who kills you. SCOTUS has already held (a long time ago) that the job of the police is not to keep you safe, or even prevent crime. It is to arrest the criminal. It's amazing how many people are disillusioned about that.
Anyway, that was all. Just thought this audience would appreciate that.
So I get over to the area near RedRock, and there are cops everywhere, directing traffic (poorly, imo, what a flustercluck). At one point, a young officer directed me to make a U-turn when I was trying to turn left. I advised him that "I can't" (22ft truck, ~45ft turning radius). He immediately took a 'tude with me, and said "just do it". I said "are you sure?" He replied "yes!". Unfortunately, what he didn't realize was that even if I could make a U-turn, he was standing in the spot I would need to drive to do it.
Anyway, I surged forward towards where he was standing, and he promptly moved. About that same time, a supervisor jogged over to him and advised him that he needed to be further out into the intersection, so people would have the room to make the U-turn. heh. Funny how the fall back is always intimidation. Anyway, I completed my 19-point U-turn as directed, and went about my way.
But that's not what this post is about. While I was at the fireworks, I heard a call go out several times for a woman who was calling in because there was a man at her door with a 413 (gun), pounding on the door. The woman had called in 30 minutes earlier, and had called back several times since to find out why the cops weren't there. I never heard a resolution to it, but here's the important part: The location of the callout was within 2 miles or so of RedRock. Awful. Lots of cops around, plenty of time to direct traffic, no time to go rescue someone with a pretty clearly bad situation. 30+ minutes. Just...wow.
This is why we have guns. Because the Police are not here to protect you, they are here to arrest the person who kills you. SCOTUS has already held (a long time ago) that the job of the police is not to keep you safe, or even prevent crime. It is to arrest the criminal. It's amazing how many people are disillusioned about that.
Anyway, that was all. Just thought this audience would appreciate that.